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Partnership to turn Old Court complex into food and beverage hub

City legacy: Motorcyclists passing by the restored Old Kuching Court House, which now houses the Tourism Information Centre.

KUCHING: Plans are underway to make the historic Old Court House in the state capital a food and beverage hub.

The management team of the nearby Plaza Merdeka (and the coming The Waterfront Hotel) together with Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) will jointly run and manage the converted historical complex, which was once managed under Sarawak Tourism Board before being handed over to state-owned Sarawak Incorporated Sdn Bhd.

After being fully restored about a decade ago, the Old Court House remains under-utilised.

Speaking at the unveiling of the proposed roofing over India Street Pedestrian Mall, Kuching City North Hall (DBKU) commissioner Datuk Wee Hong Seng said he hoped the enhancement of the assets would “bring more life into this area”.

“This project is being led by Datuk Steve Ng (Plaza Merdeka Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director), his partners, and with BCCK being brought in to handle administrative and management aspects,” he said.

Wee said plans to revamp the Old Court House was part of the state capital’s Legacy Square proposal, which is aimed at improving heritage conservation.

Recently, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said talks had been held to “take back” the General Post Office from Pos Malaysia Bhd.

“When Pos Malaysia was privatised (in 1992), it also took over the building. Now, we are talking to them. This building should be part of our Heritage Square,” Johari said last month.

“We want to make this one of our heritage buildings. Of course, we’ll do a bit of upgrading and repairs. Hopefully, the negotiation would end by this year. We need an art gallery.”

The post office building is a stone’s throw away from the Old Court House. Other components under the Legacy Square proposal include the building of a new museum on the site of the present Dewan Tun Abdul Razak.